[filk] Upcoming Celtic concerts, info sources, & recording companies

Friday 11/24 9pm-1am = THE SPLINTERS at Conor Byrne's in Ballard. $3. -- The band is led by Shannon Saunders and Cam Salay both of The Paperboys, along with Julie Saunders and occassional others. Celtic and Bluegrass in style, with Shannon's unique vocals in the lead. For more info = www.conorbrynepub.com 5140 Ballard Ave NW.

Saturday 11/25 9pm-1am = SETANTA at Conor Byrne's in Ballard $3. -- Traditional Celtic music, both instrumental and songs. Hanz Araki on flute & vocals, Finn McGinty on guitar & vocals, and Dale Russ on fiddle. One of my perpetual favorites.

Thursday 11/29 9:30pm = SETANTA at Irish Immigrant in the University District, free. -- It's a late show for a weeknight, but it's a nice chance to see them in a quiet setting. 5260 University Way NE.

Fri & Sat 11/30 & 12/1 = SUFFERING GAELS at Celtic Bayou in Redmond -- Another traditional Irish Session group with an ever changing cast of players. Finn McGinty of Setanta on guitar, Conor Bryne on fiddle, and Tom Creegan on uillean pipes are 3 consistent faces. This is a new venue, and I don't know anything about it. 7281 West Lake Samamish Parkway.

December 1 & 7 at 7:30pm and 12/9 at 2:30 = CITY CANTABILE CHOIR'S "Afro-Celtic Winter Concert". A combination of tunes and songs influenced by Celtic, African, and American Gospel cultures. All 3 performances are open to all ages, and the one on 12/9 will be particularly oriented to families with children. $13 adv, $15 door. $8 for seniors and children. Info 206-623-8632.

         12/1 = University Temple United Methodist Church. NE 43rd Street & 15th Ave NE in the University District.

         12/7 & 12/9 = Town Hall at 8th & Seneca in Downtown Seattle

Saturday 12/8 10am-11pm = Open House at DUSTY STRINGS STORE, the haven for folk music in Seattle. 3406 Fremont Ave N. Call 206-634-1662 or go to www.dustystrings.com for the full schedule of concerts, as well as info on their ongoing classes, products, and instrument construction projects. Over the next year they are going to be moving their instrument workshop to a new facility in the area, allowing them to expand their sales and teaching area in the current building. This has been a long awaited goal, and should have some exciting results. All ages event.

December 9-22 = MAGICAL STRINGS Winter Concerts at various locations in the NW. Go to www.magicalstrings.com for details. Advance tickets are generally required, as this is a popular group. All ages event, with children very much welcomed.

Friday 12/14 = CASEY NEILL TRIO at Bitters Co. coffee shop in Fremont. No time or ticket cost is posted, but you can call them for more info. This is a Celtic & Bluegrass based American folk group that does a lot of socially and environmentally concious music. They also do bizarre twists on Bruce Springsteen songs. :) Casey Neill is the lead singer, writer, and guitar player. He is backed up on vocals and instruments by Hanz Araki on flute and Zak Borden on mandolin & bass. They are also playing on 12/27 at the Experience Music Project.

Saturday 12/15 = GOLDEN BOUGH will play at the DeWitt Theater on 1st & D streets in Auburn. The 3pm show is a benefit for the Auburn Senior Center; there is also a 7:30pm show. Call 530-885-0594.

January 18-19 = CLUMSY LOVERS at the Tractor Tavern in Ballard. This is a really fun group that blends Celtic themes with modern rock, to keep a young crowd dancing all evening. Advance tickets recommended. For more information 206-789-4250 or www.tractortavern.com. 5213 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle.

February 19 = LUNASA at the Tractor Tavern. A phenomenal group of very experienced Irish musicians, they write most of their own material in traditional styles. Be careful trying to dance to it however, as they don't stick to consistent measure lengths. They just released their third album via Green Linnet (below). Advance tickets recommended.

February 21-24 = WINTERGRASS Bluegrass Festival at the Tacoma Sheraton. Only about 4 years old, this festival is getting national acclaim in the community as a wonderful relaxing weekend filled with concerts, workshops, and jam sessions. A full weekend pass is about $85, with day or evening passes varying from $30-45. Go to www.wintergrass.com or (253) 428-8056 for more information as the schedule comes together. For the serious enthusiast, classes are running the 19-21 as well.

For other concert listings, check out:
* Conor Byrne's Pub = www.conorbyrnepub.com The website has been
greatly expanded under the new owner's supervision, and has frequently updated concert lists.
* Tractor Tavern = www.tractortavern.com A common venue for blues,
jazz, folk, zydeco, country, and other genres as well as Celtic music. They have 2 quasi-monthly mailing lists: one for all of their shows, the other specifically for Celtic related ones. Tickets for their shows can be purchased at the Tractor weekdays 12-4, any night they are open, or via www.ticketweb.com. Sometimes Dusty Strings or Galway Traders has them as well.
* Seattle Folklore Society = www.seafolklore.org All kinds of general
folk music concerts done in community centers, coffee shops, and occassionally pubs. Most shows are all ages. They have a monthly mailing list, and considerably more information of interest to those who play, sing, and listen to music on their website.
* Seattle Maritime Society = http://www.nwseaport.org/. They regularly
host sea chantey sing-alongs, as well as more formal concerts. During the warmer part of the year, these are held on the Wawona, a working ship from 1897 that's being gradually restored; during the colder part, they are held inside the Armory building next door. The music is only a small portion of the education, restoration, and historical research they do; most of which is explained on their website. All ages events.
* Eileen's Celtic Calendar = My favorite source of info as it puts a lot
in one place. $15 a month for a 6-8 page monthly newsletter of concert listings, plays, lectures and other items of interest to those who enjoy Celtic culture. It's heavily focused on the Seattle area, but there are occassional notes of things from Vancouver BC to Portland, OR. You can get a copy by sending a check to PO Box 70362. Seattle, WA 98107.

For those of you looking to BUY MUSIC for the Holidays, I would strongly suggest you check out the following:
* Green Linnet Records = Celtic music and a small sampling of other
world music. Great customer service, affordable shipping, and good ethics. Right now you can get 2 cd's for $25, 4 for $50, etc; and free shipping for orders over $75. Go to www. greenlinnet.com or 800-468-6644. * Their European equivalent is Claddagh Records which has a huge selection of artists and titles you often cannot find in the US. Again the focus is on Celtic music, but it wanders a
bit. http://indigo.ie/~claddagh/ or 353-(0)1-6778943.
* Red House Records = Folk, blues, Celtic, world music, American
Country, and similar genres. This company is run by and for artists who are trying to make a difference with their music, as well as having fun. www.redhouserecords.com or 800-695-4687.
* Appleseed Recordings = "The roots and branches of Folk & Political
music". A similar company to Redhouse, but much smaller and more focused on socially concious folk music. www.appleseedrec.com or 877-692-7999.

More when I have it available.

Quarong

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Hurray for our band of happy ragged folk. Telling old stories and fireside jokes.
Living for the music, the love, and the laugh. Hurray for the riff-raff!
[Chorus to "Riff-Raff" by Casey Neill. -- Please reply to <quarong at mindspring.com>.] Received on 11/23/01